Fish ageing

Areas of Expertise: Fisheries and Aquatic Ecosystems

Service: Diagnostic & Analytical

AFBI has over 20 years of experience in ageing of marine and freshwater finfish, as well as other species including scallops. The data provided from our fish ageing team is used routinely in the assessment and management of many commercially important species in the Irish Sea including cod, herring and haddock.

Age determination

Fish are aged using their bony structures called otoliths. When these are prepared either by grinding or cutting, annual and daily rings are made visible, much like the rings of a tree. Our skilled ageing specialists undertake regular international workshops and exchange programmes to ensure accurate and quality controlled results. All our work is carried out under ISO9001 accreditation. The data provided from our fish ageing team is used routinely in the assessment and management of many commercially important species in the Irish Sea including cod, herring and haddock.

Otolith Microstructure Analysis

Using specialist grinding techniques and imaging equipment our scientists are able to analysis otolith microstructure, providing important information on the life history of finfish species. These techniques have been used to investigate stock mixing in local herring populations and are currently being employed in the study of cod and haddock early life history.

Shape Analysis

The shape and outline of otoliths have been used for the purposes of stock discrimination in many fish species worldwide. Our scientists currently use these techniques to investigate stock mixing in herring and gadoid populations in the Irish Sea.